Moral Disengagement Mechanisms Predict Cyber Aggression Among Emerging Adults

The Internet has given rise to many new communication tools (e.g., social media, text messaging), which, while beneficial in many respects, have become a means for aggressing against others. As evidence of the adverse correlates of cyber aggression mounts, improved understanding of the mechanisms that facilitate electronic aggression is needed. Moral disengagement (i.e., cognitive processes through which individuals disengage from their moral values) has been shown to predict cyber aggression when assessed as a unitary construct. The present study investigated the eight moral disengagement mechanisms measured by the Moral Disengagement Measure (Detert et al., 2008) and their relationships to four types of cyber aggression perpetration assessed with the Cyberbullying Experiences Survey (i.e., malice, public humiliation, deception, and unwanted contact; Doane et al., 2013). Emerging adults (N = 404, 58.67% women) aged 18 to 29 (M = 25.16, SD = 2.76) recruited through Amazon.com’s MTurk website completed measures online, and data were analyzed via path analysis. Each type of cyber aggression perpetration was predicted by different moral disengagement mechanisms. Advantageous comparison and dehumanization were the strongest predictors, and dehumanization was the only mechanism to predict all forms of cyber aggression. These findings provide support for the role of these mechanisms in cyber aggression and suggest that examining moral disengagement mechanisms individually may help to improve our understanding of cyber aggression among emerging adults. Further clinical and research implications are discussed

Assessing the Effects of Psychopathy, Sadism, Aggression, and Boredom Proneness on Cyber Aggression Perpetration in Emerging Adults: Is Moral Disengagement to Blame?

Prior research indicates that a number of dark personality traits (e.g., psychopathy and sadism) positively predict the perpetration of cyber aggression among emerging adults (e.g., Goodboy & Martin, 2015; Craker & March, 2016; Nocera & Dahlen, 2018); however, few studies have utilized psychometrically sound measures of cyber aggression developed for use with this population. Additionally, some traits that are theoretically relevant to cyber aggression (Koban, Stein, Eckhardt, & Ohler, 2018; Slonje & Smith, 2008; Varjas, Talley, Meyers, Parris, & Cutts, 2010) and have been useful predictors of other forms of aggression have received insufficient attention in the cyber aggression literature (e.g., trait aggressiveness, boredom proneness). In addition, the possible role of moral disengagement (i.e., a way for people who behave in conflict with their moral values to avoid guilt or shame; Renati, Berrone, & Zanetti, 2012) as a potential mediator of the relationships of various personality traits to cyber aggression perpetration has not received sufficient attention. In the present study, we recruited 404 emerging adult (age 18-29) volunteers living in the United States through Amazon’s MTurk. Workers completed an online survey assessing their use of electronic communication, psychopathic and sadistic personality traits, trait aggressiveness, boredom proneness, moral disengagement, and cyber aggression perpetration. Structural equation modeling tested whether psychopathic traits, sadistic traits, trait aggressiveness, and boredom proneness predicted cyber aggression perpetration and moral disengagement partially mediated these relationships. Sadism, anger, and moral disengagement predicted cyber aggression, and moral disengagement partially mediated the relationships between sadism and cyber aggression perpetration

Factors influencing young bystanders\u27 decisions to intervene when witnessing cyber-aggression: A mixed methods exploration

With the modern proliferation of computers, the Internet and smart phones, adolescents are at increased risk of cyber-aggression: negative, harmful behaviour expressed through electronic means and aimed at an individual (or group of individuals). Cyber-aggression can have serious consequences for the social, emotional and physical health of both targets and perpetrators. Some experts recommend tackling cyberaggression using the strategies applied to face-to-face forms of aggression and bullying in school environments. One such strategy is to encourage peer bystanders to intervene in a positive way, which has been demonstrated to influence both the duration and severity of bullying episodes in the school environment. However, cyber-aggression has some unique characteristics that differentiate it from school-based aggression such as bullying, including the potential for perpetrator and bystander anonymity, the rapid dissemination of material, and the permanence of information placed on the Internet. It therefore remains uncertain whether these unique characteristics make the wholesale adoption of face-to-face schoolbased bystander interventions inappropriate for the online environment. This thesis sought to clarify the key influences on young adolescent bystanders’ behaviour in the online environment to determine the extent to which it differs to that in the school environment. An exploratory mixed methods design was undertaken involving three phases. Phase One adopted a qualitative, phenomenological approach using in-depth interviews with 24 adolescents in Grades 8–10, to explore their perception of young bystanders’ attitudes and likely behaviours when witnessing cyber-aggression. In-depth vignette-based interviews were undertaken to explore two key research questions: (a) What factors do young adolescents think influence bystanders’ decisions to intervene when witnessing cyber-aggression? and (b) What do young adolescents perceive as differences in bystanders’ responses to peer aggression in the online versus offline (school) environments? A thematic analysis identified key themes arising from Phase One. Firstly, bystander behaviours in the online environment are perceived to be influenced by the relationship of the bystander to the perpetrator and target, with bystanders more likely to take action when they have a close relationship with one of these individuals. Relationships also assisted online bystanders to understand the context of the situation, the perceived severity of the incident and therefore the need, or otherwise, to seek adult assistance. An important difference between online and school environments is that the online environment was perceived to be lacking in clearly established rules, authority figures and formal reporting mechanisms when witnessing aggressive behaviour. In addition, when witnessing online transgressions young adolescent bystanders are more hesitant and likely to ignore or avoid intervening. This is due, in part, to difficulties they experience trying to ascertain perpetrator intentions in the absence of non-verbal cues. Phase Two sought to quantitatively confirm the themes arising from Phase One and involved the development of a quantitative measure and use of vignettes to manipulate major themes with a larger sample of adolescents in Grades 9–10 (n=292). Statistical analysis confirmed that bystander helping behaviours were more likely when the target was a close friend and when perceived harm to the target was high. Bystanders also reported being less likely to approach teachers or publicly defend targets in the online environment compared to the school environment. In addition, female bystanders were more likely to intervene, regardless of the online or school environment. Phase Three evolved from the results of the first two phases and involved a systematic review to explore the role of moral disengagement in bystander behaviours, highlighting future research directions and implications for online interventions. In this phase of the research, existing literature describing bystanders’ use of moral disengagement mechanisms when witnessing online and school bullying was appraised. A systematic review of empirical literature published over the last 25 years revealed a scarcity of research addressing bystanders’ use of moral disengagement in face-to-face environments, and no studies examining this issue in the online environment when witnessing bullying within the search parameters. In school environments, moral disengagement was found to be more likely in boys and increasing with age; affected by individuals’ histories, empathy, and selfefficacy; negatively associated with pro-social bystander behaviours; and highly influenced by socio-environmental factors, such as school culture. Collectively the three phases suggest that programs designed to encourage positive online bystander behaviours can be similar to face-to-face approaches, but also need to compensate for some aspects unique to the online environment. Such programs should consider the impact of relationships on young people’s active defending behaviours, their inhibitions surrounding public displays of bystander behaviour of any kind, and the lack of adult presence in the online environment. Strategies should sensitise adolescents to the potential harm of cyber-aggression and assist them to counter the tendency to morally disengage in the online environment. This might be achieved through programs designed to develop pro-social skills in online bystanders, to enable young people to intervene as peer supporters when they become aware of cyber-aggression

Social Cognitive Factors Associated with Sharing Overt and Relational Cyberaggression Digitally

Cyberaggression is a substantial problem for college-aged students. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine associations between social cognitive factors and digitally sharing one’s own and others’ overt and relational cyberaggressive material among college students. Social cognitive factors included cyber moral disengagement and facets of cognitive autonomy, including comparative validation, voicing opinions, and evaluative thinking. A convenience sample of 437 college students from a medium-sized US university completed an online survey about cyber aggression and related social cognitive factors. Results from a structural equation model, controlling for gender, showed that cyber moral disengagement was positively associated with sharing own and others’ overt and relational cyberaggressive material. Sharing one’s own and others’ relational cyberaggression was positively associated with comparative validation but was negatively associated with evaluative thinking. The present research reinforces prior links between moral disengagement and cyberaggression while examining other social cognitive factors associated with cyberaggression and assisting cyberaggression perpetrators

Acoso y ciberacoso, ¿qué es igual y qué es distinto? Un análisis de clases latentes

Bullying and cyberbullying are risky behaviours which normally occur during adolescence. Although an important relationship has been recognized between the two phenomena, issues related to their prevalence, the similarity and difference between them, the transfer of roles, as well as the emotional, social, and moral aspects associated with them, remain unresolved. The aim of this study was to explore the roles ofinvolvement in bullying and cyberbullying through an analysis of latent classes, and examine their association with moral disengagement, social and normative adjustment, and anger rumination. The study had a two-stage longitudinal design, with 3,006 secondary school students (Mage= 13.53; 51.9% girls), using extensively validated self-reports in the reference population. The results showed four latent classes: uninvolved, victim-cybervictim, bully victim and wholly involved. Logistic regression analyses identified a low social adjustment in those wholly involved, low normative adjustment and high moral disengagement in mixed profiles, and high anger rumination in all involvement profiles, mainly in bully-victim. These results are discussed in terms of their value in understanding the distinctions between bullying and cyberbullying, the existence of pure and mixed roles, and the associated emotional, social, and moral variablesEl acoso escolar y el ciberacoso se presentan como comportamientos de riesgo durante la adolescencia. Aunque se ha reconocido una importante relación entre ambos fenómenos, aspectos referidos a su prevalencia, la semejanza y diferencia entre uno y otro, la transferencia de roles, así como los aspectos emocionales, sociales y morales asociados aún están sin resolver. El objetivo fue explorar los perfiles de implicación en acoso y ciberacoso a través de un análisis de clases latentes y examinar su asociación con desconexión moral, ajuste social y normativo y rumiación de la ira. Se presenta un estudio longitudinal en dos tiempos con 3,006 escolares de secundaria (Medad= 13.53; 51.9% chicas). Se utilizaron autoinformes ampliamente validados en la población de referencia. Los resultados mostraron cuatro clases latentes: no implicados, víctimas-cibervíctimas, agresores victimizados y totalmente implicados. Análisis de regresión logística identificaron un bajo ajuste social en los totalmente implicados, bajo ajuste normativo y alta desconexión moral en perfiles mixtos, y alta rumiación de la ira en todos los perfiles de implicación, principalmente en agresores victimizados. Se discuten estos resultados en términos de su valor para comprender los matices que distinguen el acoso y ciberacoso, de la existencia de roles puros y mixtos y de las variables emocionales, sociales y morales asociadas

How many cyberbullying(s)? A non-unitary perspective for offensive online behaviours

Research has usually considered cyberbullying as a unitary phenomenon. Thus, it has been neglected to explore whether the specific online aggressive behaviours relate differentially to demographic features of the perpetrators of online aggressive actions, their personality characteristics, or to the ways in which they interact with the Internet. To bridge this gap, a study was conducted through a questionnaire administered online to 1228 Italian high-school students (Female: 61.1%; 14-15 yo: 48.%; 16-17 yo: 29.1%; 18-20 yo: 20.4%, 21-25 yo: 1.6%; Northern Italy: 4.1%; Central Italy: 59.2%; Southern Italy: 36.4%). The questionnaire, in addition to items about the use of social media, mechanisms of Moral Disengagement and personality characteristics of the participants in the study, also included a scale for the measurement of cyberbullying through the reference to six aggressive behaviours. The results indicate that cyberbullying can be considered as a non-unitary phenomenon in which the different aggressive behaviours can be related to different individual characteristics such as gender, personality traits and the different ways of interacting with social media. Moreover, the existence of two components of cyberbullying has been highlighted, one related to virtual offensive actions directly aimed at a victim, the other to indirect actions, more likely conducted involving bystanders. These findings open important perspectives for understanding, preventing, and mitigating cyberbullying among adolescents

Acoso y ciberacoso, ¿qué es igual y qué es distinto? Un análisis de clases latentes

Bullying and cyberbullying are risky behaviours which normally occur during adolescence. Although an important relationship has been recognized between the two phenomena, issues related to their prevalence, the similarity and difference between them, the transfer of roles, as well as the emotional, social, and moral aspects associated with them, remain unresolved. The aim of this study was to explore the roles of involvement in bullying and cyberbullying through an analysis of latent classes, and examine their association with moral disengagement, social and normative adjustment, and anger rumination. The study had a two-stage longitudinal design, with 3,006 secondary school students (Mage = 13.53; 51.9% girls), using extensively validated self-reports in the reference population. The results showed four latent classes: uninvolved, victim-cybervictim, bully-victim and wholly involved. Logistic regression analyses identified a low social adjustment in those wholly involved, low normative adjustment and high moral disengagement in mixed profiles, and high anger rumination in all involvement profiles, mainly in bully-victim. These results are discussed in terms of their value in understanding the distinctions between bullying and cyberbullying, the existence of pure and mixed roles, and the associated emotional, social, and moral variables.El acoso escolar y el ciberacoso se presentan como comportamientos de riesgo durante la adolescencia. Aunque se ha reconocido una importante relación entre ambos fenómenos, aspectos referidos a su prevalencia, la semejanza y diferencia entre uno y otro, la transferencia de roles, así como los aspectos emocionales, sociales y morales asociados aún están sin resolver. El objetivo fue explorar los perfiles de implicación en acoso y ciberacoso a través de un análisis de clases latentes y examinar su asociación con desconexión moral, ajuste social y normativo y rumiación de la ira. Se presenta un estudio longitudinal en dos tiempos con 3,006 escolares de secundaria (Medad = 13.53; 51.9% chicas). Se utilizaron autoinformes ampliamente validados en la población de referencia. Los resultados mostraron cuatro clases latentes: no implicados, víctimas-cibervíctimas, agresores victimizados y totalmente implicados. Análisis de regresión logística identificaron un bajo ajuste social en los totalmente implicados, bajo ajuste normativo y alta desconexión moral en perfiles mixtos, y alta rumiación de la ira en todos los perfiles de implicación, principalmente en agresores victimizados. Se discuten estos resultados en términos de su valor para comprender los matices que distinguen el acoso y ciberacoso, de la existencia de roles puros y mixtos y de las variables emocionales, sociales y morales asociadas

Moral Disengagement and Risk Prototypes in the Context of Adolescent Cyberbullying: Findings From Two Countries

Cyberbullying is associated with a wide range of mental health difficulties and behavioral problems in adolescents and research is needed to better understand psychological correlates of this behavior. The present study used a novel model that incorporated Social Cognitive Theory and the prototype/willingness model to identify the correlates of behavioral willingness to engage in cyberbullying in two countries. Adolescent students were randomly selected from secondary schools in Italy (n = 1710) and Greece (n = 355), and completed anonymous measures of moral disengagement, descriptive norms, risk prototype evaluations and behavioral willingness to engage in cyberbullying. Hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that willingness to engage in cyberbullying was associated with moral disengagement, prototype evaluations and descriptive social norms in Italy, and with gender, moral disengagement and descriptive social norms in Greece. Regression-based multiple mediation modeling further showed that the association between moral disengagement and cyberbullying willingness was mediated by prototype evaluations in Italy and by descriptive norms in Greece. The implications of our findings are discussed in the context of self-regulating cyberbullying perpetration in adolescents and informing school-based policies and interventions to prevent cyberbullying behavior

Moral Disengagement and Risk Prototypes in the Context of Adolescent Cyberbullying: Findings From Two Countries

Cyberbullying is associated with a wide range of mental health difficulties and behavioral problems in adolescents and research is needed to better understand psychological correlates of this behavior. The present study used a novel model that incorporated Social Cognitive Theory and the prototype/willingness model to identify the correlates of behavioral willingness to engage in cyberbullying in two countries. Adolescent students were randomly selected from secondary schools in Italy (n = 1710) and Greece (n = 355), and completed anonymous measures of moral disengagement, descriptive norms, risk prototype evaluations and behavioral willingness to engage in cyberbullying. Hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that willingness to engage in cyberbullying was associated with moral disengagement, prototype evaluations and descriptive social norms in Italy, and with gender, moral disengagement and descriptive social norms in Greece. Regression-based multiple mediation modeling further showed that the association between moral disengagement and cyberbullying willingness was mediated by prototype evaluations in Italy and by descriptive norms in Greece. The implications of our findings are discussed in the context of self-regulating cyberbullying perpetration in adolescents and informing school-based policies and interventions to prevent cyberbullying behavior

Teens who intervene: identifying factors related to adolescent cyber-bystander intervention in cyberbullying

Introduction: Cyberbullying experiences have been linked to mental health difficulties, highlighting the need to refine anti-cyberbullying interventions, particularly for at-risk groups, and understand what encourages bystanders to intervene. The current study compared adolescents’ prosocial cyber-bystander intentions in an intragroup (‘UK-born’ victim status) and intergroup (‘immigrant’ victim status) cyberbullying context. State empathy and state self-efficacy were examined as potential mediators, accounting for baseline trait levels of these two factors and gender. Methods: British adolescents (N=129; 13.5-15 years old; 59.7% female; predominately White) from two comprehensive schools in the UK took part in a two (gender: female/male) by two (victim status: British/immigrant) between-subjects quasi-experimental study. Participants were randomly assigned to read a gender-matched hypothetical cyberbullying vignette with an adolescent cyber-victim who was either ‘U.K.-born’ or an ‘immigrant’. Self-report questionnaires captured participants’ prosocial bystander intentions, state and trait self-efficacy and empathy, alongside demographic information. Results: Findings showed that victim status did not relate to self-efficacy or prosocial cyber-bystander intentions. Higher empathy was reported by females and, unexpectedly, within the ‘immigrant victim’ condition. An indirect relationship was found between victim status and prosocial cyber-bystander intentions, with state empathy as a statistical mediator. Trait empathy did not moderate the path between victim status and state empathy. Conclusions: The present study supports promoting bystander state empathy in anti-cyberbullying programmes, but the importance of intergroup processes is unclear. To reduce cyberbullying impact, future research should explore cyber-bystander behaviour towards at-risk groups inter-sectionally, controlling for additional intergroup variables which potentially caused a suppressor effect in the results